Winters Promise By: Martha Rogers

Abigail Monroe has left her family in Briar Ridge to seek a new life in Porterfield, Texas. The young woman has no plans for marriage, however upon arrival Abigail spots a young man in the towns Infirmary. After opening up a Library across the street Abigail learns that the young, quiet and efficient man is Doctor Elliot Jenson, who moved to Porterfield to escape from his tragic past in Cleveland, Ohio.  One day when Abigail comes into the clinic after an accident that caused a sprained ankle, Doc. Elliot realises that he is falling in love with Abigail and her presence brings back too many bad memories from Cleveland two years ago. Doc. Elliot tries avoiding Abigail as much as possible and that includes the countless appointments. Over time Abigail realises that something is wrong with the Doc., but can’t put a finger on it, with the Doc. so protective about his past it is hard to get into his private life. Abigail and family then pray for the young Doctor, after learning that he has not picked up a Bible in years and feels that Scriptures are useless in his life. Abigail is getting impatient, can’t the poor Doctor see that she has feelings for him, but does he have feelings for her?

                When I found this book I thought that it would be good because of the beautiful front cover, wouldn’t anyone want to look like that. When I read the synopsis on the back of the book, I was hooked, hadn’t even opened the book to read the first chapter. I loved this book so much that I read it in five days, which is fast for me. I enjoyed the book because it was a love story and the minute that the book started that love story had already started. I especially enjoyed this love story because it involved a Doctor and a woman that loved the poor Doctor, but he just ignored her.

                My favourite character in Winters Promise would be Doc. Elliot Jenson. He has come from a rough past and feels that it is God’s fault, because of the death of his Angela; Elliot believes that he didn’t need Scriptures to tell him about life, medicine was a science with truths he could rely on. Through countless appointments with Abigail after she sprained her ankle after locking the door on the Library and falling down the stairs, Elliot realises that it has been two years since he’d been so affected by a young woman and he didn’t welcome the feeling. After days of sulking because of his past, Elliot decides that it is time to turn to Scriptures. Elliot learns that God is the only one that stays true and never leaves our side. Then learns that we live in a broken world and sin, suffering and death still hold sway, and not until Christ returns will they be completely vanquished, and in this world we will never understand why God allows suffering.

                Reading this be of a song, from an old Veggie Tale when I was young and it was about courage and God never leaving our side. So here it is.

Tell me why, I don’t understand.

Tell me why, or show me your hand.

Tell me why because I can’t see my way through

What now….should I…..do

The battle is not ours

We look to God above

For He will guide us safely thought

And guard us with his love

I will not be afraid

I will not run and hide

For there is nothing we can’t face when God is at my side

No, there is nothing we can’t face

When God is at our side

The battle is not ours

We look to God above

For He will guide us safely through

And guard us with His love

This passage was mentioned throughout the book, and was mentioned to Doc. Elliot by his Uncle, many times but he didn't want to go to it because he thought that the Scriptures wouldn't do anything for him. Elliot’s Uncle told Elliot to read Psalm 139. And Psalm 139 says:

¹You have searched me Lord, and you know me.

²You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways

⁴Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.

⁵You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

¹⁰even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”

¹²even the darkness will not be dark for you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother womb.

¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know full well.

¹⁵My frame is not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸Where I count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand- when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, who are you bloodthirsty!

²⁰They speak of you with the evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.

²¹Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?

²²I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

²³Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²⁴See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

If you enjoyed this book review and want to read more Christian Book Reviews go to Faithful Books. And if you want to know more about the amazing author that wrote this book, go to her website, and check out her facebook page.